Textile apparatus



April 1969 I J. H. SELBY 3,440,691

TEXTILE APPARATUS Filed Sept. 12, 1966 Sheet of 2 INVENTOR .1 F! [K H. 5 ELB Y BY i" 673% AT ORNEYS April 1959 J. H. SELBY I V 3,440,691

TEXTILE APPARATUS Sheet 2 of2 Filed Sept. 12, 1966 3 Rm My III N M E 0 v j g V N|\ "J7 A u J 6 H n... n J a n V B United States Patent 3,440,691 TEXTILE APPARATUS Jack H. Selby, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, assignor to The Warner & Swasey Company, Cleveland, Ohio, 21 corporation of Ohio Filed Sept. 12, 1966, Ser. No. 578,599 Int. Cl. D01h /74, 5/43 US. Cl. 19267 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to an apparatus having a pair of rotatable cooperating rolls which define a nip therebetween through which material is adapted to pass and a pressure loading mechanism for biasing the rolls into pressure engagement with each other, and in particular the present invention relates to a textile apparatus having sliver drafting rolls and a loading mechanism for biasing the drafting rolls into a pressure relationship.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved textile apparatus having a pair of rotatable cooperating drafting rolls which define a nip therebetween through which fibrous material advances and a pressure loading mechanism for biasing the rolls into pressure engagement with one another, and in which the pressure loading mechanism is of a relatively simple and compact construction, reliable in operation, and effective to apply a substantially equal pressure load to both ends of one of the rolls so as to provide a substantially uniform pressure engagement between the rolls throughout their lengths.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus, especially a textile apparatus, having a pair of rotatable cooperating rolls which define a nip therebetween through which material is adapted to pass and a pressure loading mechanism for biasing one of the rolls into pressure engagement with the other roller, and in which the pressure loading mechanism is so constructed and arranged that the load to be exerted on the one roll can be preset and thereafter applied to the roll.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus, as defined in the nextpreceding object, and in which the pressure loading mechanism includes a member movable toward and from the roll, a presettable load exerting means operable to apply a desired load to the member and in turn to the roll, and means operatively connected with the load exerting means and operable for rendering the same ineffective to apply the preset load to the member and for rendering the load exerting means effective to apply the preset load to the member after the member engages the roll.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus of the character noted above and in which the pressure loading mechanism includes a pair of pivotal levers for engaging the opposite ends of one of the rolls and in which the load exerting means includes a single compression spring presettable to apply a desired load and which is rendered effective to 3,440,691 Patented Apr. 29, 1969 apply the preset load equally to each of the levers and ineffective to apply the preset load thereto until both of the levers are moved into engagement with the roll.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a pressure loading mechanism for a pair of rolls, as noted in the next preceding object, wherein the spring when it is preset acts in one direction against a piston which abuts a part carried by a housing connected to one of the levers and in the other direction against the housing and wherein the piston has a threaded connection with a shaft or rod operatively connectedto the other lever so that when the shaft is rotated the piston is moved out of contact with the part whereby the spring force is then transmitted through the housing to the one lever and through the piston and shaft to the other lever.

The present invention further resides in various novel constructions and arrangement of parts, and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates and from the following detailed description of the illustrated embodiment thereof made with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which similar reference numerals are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of a textile apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken approximately along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken approximately along the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows 44;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows 5-5; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken approximately along line 6-6 of FIG. 2.

The present invention provides an apparatus having a pair of rot-ata ble cooperating rolls or rollers which define a nip therebetween through which material is adapted to pass and a novel pressure loading mechanism for biasing the rolls into pressure engagement with each other. Although the present invention is useful for various applications, it is particularly useful as a textile apparatus wherein rolls are employed to draw fibrous material or silver through a gill box, and for purposes of illustration is herein shown and described as preferably embodied in a textile apparatus 10.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the textile apparatus 10 comprises, in general, a support 12 and a gill box 13 carried by the support 12. The gill box 13 is of conventional construction for operating on or combing sliver 14 being advanced therethrough. The sliver is advanced through the gill box in the usual manner by a pair of rotatable cooperating drafting or drawing rollers 16 and 18 at the output end of the gill box 13. The apparatus 10- also includes a pair of sliver feed rollers 21 and 22 supported at the sliver input end of the gill box 13. The drafting rollers 16 and 18 are preferably rotated at a faster rate of speed than the feed rollers 21 and 22 so as to place the sliver 14 under tension so that it is drawn or drafted as it is being advanced through the gill box 13.

Referring to FIG. 2, the cooperating drafting rollers 16 and 18 define a nip therebetween through which the sliver 14 passes and are respectively rotatably supported at their opposite ends for rotation about axes extending parallel to each other by suitable or conventional bearings 23, 24 and 25, 26. The bearings 23, 25 and 2'4, 26 are respectively carried by laterally spaced, upwardly extending supports 27 and 28 bolted or otherwise secured 3 to the top side of the support or frame 12. The bottom roller 18, as best shown in FIG. 2, is adapted to be rotated or driven by a suitable or conventional gear drive means 29 which includes an output gear fixed to a shaft portion 31 at one end of the roller 18.

The upper roller 16 is adapted to be biased and held in pressure engagement with the lower roller 18 by a pressure loading mechanism 20 and is rotated or driven by the lower roller 18, when the latter is rotated, as a result of the pressure relationship therebetween. To enable the roller 16 to be biased into pressure engagement with the roller 18, the roller 16 is also supported by the supports 27, 28 for movement toward and from the roller 18. To this end, the bearings 23, 24 at their ends remote from the roller 16 are each provided with a square shaped projection 34 which is slidably received within a generally vertically extending rectangularly shaped slot 35 in a support member 36 which in turn is fixed or otherwise secured to the adjacet support 27 or 28. The provision of the slots 35 in the support members 36 enables the bearings 23, 24 to be moved vertically relative to roll 18 and hence, enables the roll 16 to be moved into pressure engagement with the roll 18.

As previously mentioned, the roll 16 is adapted to be biased into pressure engagement with the roller 18 by the pressure loading mechanism 20. The pressure loading mechanism 20 comprises a pair of bell crank levers 40, 41 which are respectively supported by the supports 27, 28 for pivotal movement in opposite directions about axes extending transversely of the axis of rotation of the roller 16. The levers 40 and 41 are respectively pivotally connected intermediate their ends to ears or projections 42 and 43, which are integral portions of the supports 27 and 28, by pivot pins 45 and 46. The levers 40, 41 at their lower ends, as viewed in FIG. 2, are engageable with the bearings 23, 24 and function to hold the roller 16 in pressure engagement with the roller 18 when a force is exerted on the levers 40, 41 tending to move the same in the direction of the arrows 47, 48.

The levers 40, 41 at their other or upper end, as viewed in FIG. 2, are bifurcated and operatively connected with a load exerting means which is operable to exert a desired load on the levers 40 and 41 which in turn transmit the load to the opposite ends of the roller 16 to bias and hold the same in pressure engagement with the roller 18. The load exerting means 50 includes a spring cartridge 50a carried by the lever 40 and which comprises an elongated housing 52 provided with an enlarged circular opening 51 extending inwardly from one end thereof, the left end as viewed in FIG. 2. The housing 52 is pivotally connected adjacent its right end to the legs of the bifurcated end of the lever 40 by pivot pins 53. Slidably received in the opening 51 in the housing 52 is an annular piston 54 having a central through opening 55. The piston 54 carries a nut 56 threadably secured or otherwise fixed thereto and which in turn is threadably engaged with a threaded end portion 57 of a rod member 58. The rod '58 extends through an opening in the right end of the housing 52 and is supported by the housing 52 for relative rotational and endwise movement.

The rod 58 at its other end remote from the threaded end 57 is operatively connected to a hub or member 62 carried by the lever 41 and in a manner which allows the rod 58 to rotate relative to the hub 62, but which prevents relative endwise movement therebetween. To this end, the hub 62 has a central through opening 63 through which the rod 58 projects and carries a suitable or conventional bearing 64 for rotatably supporting the rod 58. The bearing 64 has its outer race fixed to the inner side wall defining the opening 63 of the hub 62 and its inner race carried by a reduced diameter end portion 65 on the rod 58. Relative endwise movement between the hub 62 and the rod 58 is prevented by the bearing 64 whose inner race at one end abuts a shoulder 66 on the rod 58 4 and at its other end engages or abuts a hub portion of a handwheel 68 which is keyed to the rod 58 and suitably fixed thereto by a bolt 69. The hub 62 is generally square shaped and is pivotally connected between the legs of the bifurcated end of the lever 41 by pivot pins 71.

The load extering means 50 further includes a compression spring 72 for exerting an equal presure load on the levers 40, 41. The spring 72 encircles the threaded end 57 of the rod 58 and has one end in abutting engagement with the piston 54 and the other end in abutting engagement with a radially extending abutment surface or wall 73 of the housing 52. The compression spring 72 biases or tends to relatively move the piston 54 and the housing -52 away from each other. An adjustable abutment 74 carried by the housing 52 at its left end engages the piston 54 through a washer 74a and acts as a stop or abutment therefore. When the piston 54 is in abutting engagement with the abutment 74 the spring 72 is rendered ineffective to apply its pressure load to the levers 40, 41, since its compressive or pressure load is applied in opposite directions against the housing 52.

The spring 72 is rendered effective to apply its pressure load equally to each of the levers 40, 41 when the latter are in engagement with the opposite ends of the roller 16 by moving the piston 54 relative to the housing 52 from a first position in which it is in abutting engagement with the abutment 74 to a second position, as shown in FIG. 2, in which it is spaced slightly from the washer 740. When the piston 54 is in its second position, the spring 72 transmits its pressure load through the housing 52 to the lever 40 to bias the same in the direction of the arrow 47 and through the piston 54, the rod 58, and hub 62 to the lever 41 to bias the same in the direction of the arrow 48.

Movement of the piston 54 between its first and second positions, is effected by rotating the handwheel 68. When the handwheel 68 is rotated in the direction of the arrow 77, the rod 58 is caused to be rotated in this direction which in turn causes the nut 56 to be moved toward the right, as viewed in FIG. 2. Movement of the nut 56 in this direction causes the piston 54 to be moved toward the right relative to the housing 52 and in opposition to the biasing force of the spring 72 from its first position toward its second position to render the spring effective to apply its pressure load to the levers 40, 41. To relieve the pressure load exerted on the levers, the handwheel 68 is rotated in the opposite direction, as indicated by the arrow 78. Rotation of the handwheel in this direction causes the piston 54 to be moved toward the left from its second position toward its first position in which it abut tingly engages the abutment 74.

The pressure load exertable by the spring 72 on the levers 40, 41 can be varied and preset by adjustably positioning the adjustable abutment 74 relative to the abutment surface 73 of the housing 52. The abutment 74 is threadably engaged with the left end portion of an inner wall 79 of the housing 52, as viewed in FIG. 2. By rotating the abutment 74 in the direction of the arrow 80, the piston 54 is caused to be moved toward the right relative to the housing 52 which in turn causes the spring 72 to be compressed and the pressure load exertably thereby increased. To decrease the pressure load exertable by the spring 72, the abutment 74 is rotated in direction of the arrow 81, and if necessary then the handwheel 68 is rotated in the direction of the arrow 78 to move the piston 54 toward the left and allow the spring 72 to elongate.

To enable the operator to readily determine when he has attained the desired preset load, an indicating means 82 is provided. The indicating means 82 comprises an L- shaped pointer 83 carried by the pitson 54 and a cali brated scale 84 on the side of the housing 52. The pointer is fixed to a member 85 which projects through an axially extending slot 86 in the bottom of the housing 52 and which is secured to the piston 54 as by a fastener 87.

From the foregoing, it should be apparent that when it is desired to apply a desired pressure load to the opposite sides of the roller 16 to bias and hold the same in pressure engagement with the roller 18, the operator first adjusts the position of the abutment 74, if necessary, to preset the load exerting means 50 to the load desired. If the desired load is greater than the previous preset load, the operator will rotate the abutment member 74 in the direction of the arrow 80 which in turn causes the piston 72 to be compressed. This movement is continued until the pointer 83 carried by the piston 54 indicates that the compression spring 72 has been compressed to the extent necessary so as to render it effective to apply the desired load. The preset load, however, is not at this time transmitted to the levers 40, 41, since the piston 54 is in abutting engagement with the abutment 74. It should be noted that when the piston 54 is moved toward the right when presetting the load to be exerted by the spring 72, the rod 58 is also caused to be moved toward the right which in turn causes the lever 41 to be pivoted about its axis in the direction of the arrow 48a and out of engagement with the bearing 24, as indicated by the phantom lines in FIG. 2. The lever 40 during the load presetting operation will usually remain in engagement with the bearing 23 although no pressure load is being exerted thereon.

The operator will then rotate the handwheel 68 in a direction of the arrow 77 which effects movement of the rod 58 toward the left, as viewed in FIG. 2, and causes the lever 41 to be pivoted about its pivotal axis in a direction of the arrow 48 until it is in engagement with the bearing 24. This pivotal movement of the lever 41 takes place because the spring 72 maintains the piston 54 in abutting engagement with the abutment 74 and thus, the piston 54 is held stationary which in turn causes the rod 58 to move toward the left when it is rotated in the direction of the arrow 77 by the handwheel 68 until the lever 41 engages the bearing 24.

If the operator were to lean or push on the handwheel V 68 at the start of or during the time it is being rotated in the direction of the arrow 77, the lever 41 would pivot about its pivotal axis in the direction of the arrow 48 and into engagement with the bearing 24 and the lever 40 would be pivoted about its pivotal axis in a direction of the arrow 47a and out of engagement with the bearing 23, as indicated by the phantom lines in FIG. 2. If this were to happen, the rod 58 when rotated in the direction of the arrow 77 would not move toward the left, since the lever 41 is in engagement with the bearing 24, but would cause the piston 54 to be moved toward the right. Movement of the piston 54 in this direction is transmitted through the spring 72 to the housing 52 to cause the latter to be moved toward the right which in turn causes the lever 40 to pivot in a direction of the arrow 47 until it is in engagement with the bearing 23. The piston 54 would thus remain in engagement with the abutment 74 since it would move with the housing 52.

When both of the levers 40 and 41 engage the bearings 23 and 24, the preset load can be quickly and almost instantaneously applied equally to both of the levers 40, 41 by further rotating the handwheel 68 slightly in the direction of the arrow 77. This movement causes the piston 54 to be moved from its first position toward its second position in which it is spaced slightly from the abutment 74 and thus, the spring 72 is rendered effective to instantly apply its pressure load equally to both of the levers 40 and 41. A locking means in the form of a locking pin 90 carried by the upper end of the hub 62 and which is insertable in the adjacent one of a plurality of cooperable annularly spaced openings 91 in the handwheel 68 is provided to lock the handwheel 68 against rotation and hold the piston 54 in its second position.

If a decrease in the preset load to be applied to the opposite ends of the roller 16 were desired, the operator would rotate the adjustable abutment 74 in the direction of the arrow 81 to cause the same to be moved toward the left and away from the piston 54. The piston 54 will at this time remain in its position, since both of the levers 40 and 411 are in engagement with the bearings 23 and 24. The operator would then remove the locking pin and rotate the handwheel 68 in the direction of the arrow 78 which in turn would cause the piston 54 to be moved toward the left and the compression spring 72 to elongate. Movement of the piston 54 toward the left would be continued until the pointer 83 indicates that the desired preset load condition has been reached. The operator would then rotate the abutment 74 in the direction of the arrow 80 until it is in abutting engagement with the piston 54. The preset load is applied by rotating the handwheel 68 in the direction of the arrow 77 to cause the piston 5-4 to be moved from its first position toward its second position and the spring 72 to apply its pressure load equally to both of the levers 40, 41.

From the foregoing, it should be apparent that the single compression spring 72 of the load exerting means, due to the novel construction of the latter, functions to effect movement of the levers 40 and 41 from a position in which they are not engaged with the bearings 23, 24 to an engaged position in response to rotation of the handwheel 68 without transmitting its preset load, and to exert its preset pressure load equally to both of the levers 40 and 41 in response to movement of the handwheel in the same direction after both of the levers 40 and 41 have engaged the bearings 23 and 24.

In order to enable the operator to readily determine when the preset load condition is being applied to the opposite ends of the roller 16, a visual indicating means is provided. The indicating means 100 comprises a suitable or conventional microswitch 101 carried by one leg of an L-shaped bracket 102. The bracket 102 has its other leg secured to a housing 103 which in turn is fixed to and disposed below the housing 52. The switch 101 is located in an electric circuit (not shown) containing an indicating light 104 and is movable between a normally open position in which the circiut is de-energized and a closed position in which the circuit is completed to energize the light 104 to provide a visual indication to the operator that the preset load is being applied to the roller 16.

The switch 101 is actuatable from its normally open position to its closed position in response to movement of a cooperably disposed cam member 105 carried by the piston 54 when the latter is moved from its first position to its second position. The cam member 105 has a beveled cam surface 106 engageable with the microswitch 101 and is bolted to the member 85 secured to the piston 54 by the bolts 87. The microswitch 101 is adjustably positionable relative to the housing 103 so as to enable it to be cooperably positioned relative to the cam surface 105 so that it will be actuated to its closed position in response to movement of the piston 54 away from the abutment 74. To this end, the housing 103 is provided with a pair of slots 108 extending parallel to the slot 86 in the housing 52 and through which screws 1-10 for clamping the bracket '102 against the side of the housing 103 extend.

When the abutment 74 has been re-positioned to change the desired preset load to be applied, the operator will adjustably position the microswitch 101 with respect to the cam surface 106 such that when the latter is moved in response to movement of the piston 54 away from the abutment 74, the microswitch 101 will be actuated from its normally open position to its closed position in which it completes an electric circuit to energize the indicating light 104 to indicate to the operator when the preset load is being applied on the levers 40 and 41.

From the foregoing description of the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, it should be apparent that the objects heretofore enumerated and others having been accomplished and that a new and improved textile apparatus has been provided. Also from the above description, it should be readily apparent that the textile apparatus embodying the present invention has been described in considerable detail and that certain changes, modifications, and adaptations may be made therein by those skilled in the art to which it relates, and it is hereby intended to cover all such changes, modifications, and adaptations which come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. An apparatus comprising support means, a pair of rotatable cooperating rollers rotatably supported by said support means and which define a nip therebetween through which material is adapted to pass, a pressure loading mechanism for biasing one of said rollers into pressure engagement with said other roller with a desired pressure load, said mechanism comprising a pair of members for respectively engaging said one roller at its opposite ends, said members being supported by said support means for movement in opposite directions toward and from the adjacent ends of said roller, a load exerting means operable to apply a substantially equal pressure load to each of said members, first means for presetting said load exerting means to a desired pressure load, second means operatively connected with the load exerting means for rendering said load exerting means ineffective to apply the preset load to said members and which renders said load exerting means effective to apply the preset load to each of said members when both of said members are in engagement with said one roller, said load exerting means comprising first and second spaced abutments connected with one of said members, a first element disposed between said abutments and supported for movement relative to said abutments, a second element rotatably supported by the other of said members and connected with said first element, a compression spring having one end in abutting engagement with said first element and the other end in abutting engagement with said first abutment and biasing said first element toward said second abutment, and said second means is rotatable and operatively connected with said second element and effective when rotated to move said first element, when both of the members are in engagement with said one roller, between a first position in which it is in abutting engagement with said second abutment to render the compression spring ineffective to transmit the preset load to said members and a second position in which it is spaced from said second abutment to render the spring effective to transmit the preset load to said members.

2. An apparatus comprising support means, a pair of rotatable cooperating rollers rotatably supported by said support means and which define a nip therebetween through which material is adapted to pass, a pressure loading mechanism for biasing one of said rollers into pressure engagement with said other roller with a desired pressure load, said mechanism comprising a pair of members for respectively engaging said one roller at its opposite ends, said members being supported by said support means for movement in opposite directions toward and from the adjacent ends of said roller, a load exerting means operable to apply a substantially equal pressure load to each of said members, first means for presetting said load exerting means to a desired pressure load, second means operatively connected with the load exerting means for rendering said load exerting means ineffective to apply the preset load to said members and which renders said load exerting means effective to apply the preset load to each of said members when both of said members are in engagement with said one roller, said members comprising levers pivotally connected with said support means, said load exerting means comprising a first part connected with one of said levers, a first element supported by said first part for movement toward and from said one lever,

a compression spring having its opposite ends in engagement with said first element and said first part, said first means for presetting said load exerting means comprising an adjustable abutment carried by said first part and against which said first element is adapted to abut, said adjustable abutment being adjustably positionable relative to said first part to vary the compression of the spring to obtain the desired preset load, a rod rotatably supported by the other of said levers and threadably engaged with said first element, and said second means is rotatable and connected with said rod and effective when rotated in a first direction to move said first element upon said levers being in engagement with said one roller from a first position in which it is in abutting engagement with said abutment to render the compression spring ineffective to transmit the present load to the members and a second position in which it is out of abutting engagement with the abutment to render the spring effective to transmit the preset load to the members.

3. An apparatus, as defined in claim 2, and including an indicating means responsive to movement of said first element relative to said first part for providing an indication when the spring is exerting a pressure load on said levers.

4. An apparatus, as defined in claim 3, and wherein said indicating means includes a switch carried by said first element for energizing an indicator and which is actuatable by a cam member carried by said first element.

5. An apparatus comprising support means, a pair of rotatable cooperating rollers rotatably supported by said support means and which define a nip therebetween through which material is adapted to pass, a pressure loading mechanism for biasing one of said rollers into pressure engagement with said other roller with a desired pressure load, said mechanism comprising a pair of members for respectively engaging said one roller at its opposite ends, said members being supported by said support means for movement in opposite directions toward and from the adjacent ends of said roller, a load exerting means operable to apply a substantially equal pressure load to each of said members, first means for selectively adjusting said load exerting means to a desired pressure load, first indicating means for providing an indication of the magnitude of the selected load, second means operatively connected with the load exerting means for rendering said load exerting means ineffective to apply the selected load to said members and which renders said load exerting means effective to apply the selected load to each of said members when both of said members are in engagement with said one roller, and second indicating means operatively associated with said load exerting means for providing an indication when said load exerting means has been rendered effective to apply the selected load to the members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 818,707 4/1906 Ormondroyd et al. 19-129 1,387,816 8/1921 Vales et a1. 19-270 1,495,627 5/1924 Zierer 19-231 2,034,634 3/1936 Roddy 19-129 2,489,015 11/1949 Denham 19-282 2,618,026 11/1952 Dawson et al. 19-267 2,683,291 7/1954 Harmon 19-282 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,069,545 2/1954 France.

576,902 4/1946 Great Britain.

DORSEY NEWTON, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 19-129, 282

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PATENT OFFICE Washington, 0.0. 20231 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,440,691 April 29, 1969 Jack H. Selby It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 8, line 16, "present should read preset Signed and sealed this 14th day of April 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR.

Commissioner of Patents Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Attesting Officer 

